It was my ex-girlfriend, a turbulent young Finnish painter with a habit of throwing dishes at me, who first introduced me to yoga. We were renovating our very raw loft on the southside one summer, and every night she'd do these crazy stretches. After a while, I began to follow along - at first, I admit, it was so I could watch the way her butt moved. But then I started to feel the benefits, and it became a part of our daily routine. She's gone now, but yoga's still a big part of my life. In fact, it's had a major impact on me.

And it just so happens that Williamsburg is home to an incredibly diverse and talented group of holistic practitioners. Whatever you may feel about the word 'holistic,' these are people who can drastically improve your health and lifestyle, whether by curing your insomnia with acupuncture, or by giving you the strength and confidence of Shaolin kung fu. No more searching bulletin boards for Capoeira dance or Kundalini classes - it's all here. And there truly is something for everyone. So get out there and give it a shot - trust me, you'll be glad you did.

Greenhouse Holistic is new to the 'Burg, and it's an absolute godsend. A teacher of Yang style tai chi (associated with the New York School of Tai Chi Chuan), owner David Greenhouse is an extremely friendly and patient guy who teaches a small class of tai chi students, ranging from a retired carpenter to young, artsy professionals. Tai chi is an unbelievable experience. Some call it "meditation in motion," and it has some powerful martial arts applications, as well. The benefits include increased strength and energy, yet it is incredibly tranquil and mentally focussing. Tricky recently took up tai chi to cure his insomnia, and guess what? He finally put out a decent album.

Greenhouse also offers Vinyasa yoga classes with Irena ad Jill on Mon-Wed. evenings. When he's not teaching tai chi, David uses the space as a Swedish massage clinic. You can also book acupuncture treatments with Dr. Scott Gremmel, a brilliant acupuncturist who takes an 'interpersonal' approach. It can do wonders for your body. He'll prescribe an entire Chinese medicine regiment for you and stick you full of needles. Don't worry, they only look scary.